What do you do when you lose passion on a beat?

Ok, so I have a little problem which requires some advice. We have a beat writer who has confided to me that he's losing his passion for the job. To me, it's been pretty clear over the last six months. Normally a very good writer, his work has declined a bit recently. It's still solid, but rarely special.

Anyway, we went out a couple of nights ago for beers, and I asked him if everything was ok. And that's when he told me that he's lost some steam. He says he feels like he's stuck in the grind and can't seem to snap out of it. I told him to take some time off, but he said he did that and he's still feeling it. Now he's worried that when his season starts up again, he's not going to be "into" it.

I'd love to give him some good advice, but I haven't been a reporter in years. Furthermore, I never really went through something like this when I was. So what should I tell him?

Anyway, we went out a couple of nights ago for beers, and I asked him if everything was ok. And that's when he told me that he's lost some steam. He says he feels like he's stuck in the grind and can't seem to snap out of it. I told him to take some time off, but he said he did that and he's still feeling it. Now he's worried that when his season starts up again, he's not going to be "into" it.

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He should talk to an editor.
Why?
There might be some alternative ways to get your friend excited about the beat again.
Maybe the editor can carve out some time for your reporter friend to work on an enterprise or investigative story that could kickstart the creative juices and the love for the beat again.
Maybe the editor knows of someone who could work the beat in the interim while your friend works another beat ... variety is the spice of life.

Your friend's inability to get excited about the season will directly affect his productivity, and most likely in a negative way.

How realistic is it to switch him off and have him do some enterprise reporting or features, for instance -- something that might fire him up again.
I find sometimes I go into "a slump" where it seems mundane for a while. But you'll bump into a good story, write it really well and it rekindles you and you often take off on a good run. Ask him what he'd rather do, and if it's feasible, let him do it.

Tell your friend to try changing the way he does things to spice things up.

Maybe do interviews in new locations. Maybe a new position. If there is a player he always sits down with, try it standing up?

Visual aids can be usual. Watching someone else do it and enjoy themselves can help provide proper inspiration.

Perhaps he and the head coach could have a long talk about his needs. Sometimes it isn't the person's fault. They need to be working with someone who can be creative and keep it fun. Communication is the key.

Maybe dressing up or some role reversal might help.

If all that fails, he and the team could try counseling. I know it might be hard, but he's willing to admit there is a problem and that is an important step.

A totally off-the-wall kind of feature may help get him kick-started, but I've found if there's a way to modify the beat (what specifically you cover or how you cover it) can often recharge his battery. Or, if it's feasible, move him to a different beat for a couple of months.